First Lady rallies sportsmen to work hard ahead of the Commonwealth Games

The First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni has urged sportspeople that intend to represent the country at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to work hard so that the country continues to shine among the best sporting nations.

Mrs. Museveni alongside the State Minister for Sports Hamson Obua, British Deputy High Commissioner to Uganda Louise Ellis, officials from the Ministry, and those from the Commonwealth Games Association of Uganda (CWGAU) had just welcomed the Queens Baton Relay (QBR) to the country Thursday at State House Nakasero.

The QBR arrived in the country from Kenya, its 7th destination on the continent and on its international route that spans 269 days around the Commonwealth nations and territories

“This visit of the QBR reminds us that the Commonwealth Games occurring once every 4 years is now around the corner; the games starting in August next year bring together the 72 Commonwealth nations which is symbolic but a significant way to promote, through sports the social, economic and political development interventions among the Commonwealth sister nations and beyond,” Kataha noted.

“Uganda’s sporting capacity has been improving over the years and the 2018 Gold Coast CWG in Australia consolidated our resolve to be among the best sporting nations around the world, and by God’s grace Uganda will be presenting a team at the 2022 games and our prayer is that Team Uganda will even perform better than it did in 2018.

“Therefore I would like to use this opportunity of the QBR presence in Uganda to call upon all our athletes and sportspeople preparing to represent us at the games to remember that we as a country have resolved to lift God’s glory in this part of the world through sports, therefore our representatives the sportspeople you must work hard and with God’s help we believe we will be counted among the best sporting nations,” the First Lady stated.

The British Deputy High Commissioner to Uganda Louise Ellis said they were delighted to host the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham because the games will bring together all the equally independent Commonwealth countries in a spirit of friendly competition and celebration of the Commonwealth’s rich diversity and shared goals of democracy, development, and peace.

“The games will be the most sustainable and inclusive ever and will celebrate the youth of the Commonwealth, innovation, and creativity.

“Sustainability is a high priority of the UK as show-cased by us hosting COP26.So we shall be keeping our commitment that Birmingham 2022 will be the first-ever carbon-neutral Commonwealth Games, reducing our carbon footprint and using innovative technologies to cut down waste,” Ellis stated.

She said the baton relay is the traditional curtain-raiser for the games which began its journey in the UK on October 7 and will go through the 72 nations and territories as it connects communities in every corner of the Commonwealth, embracing the unique cultures and sharing stories.

“This collective journey will ignite hope, solidarity, and collaboration for the next generation, for these stories, will leave us inspired to take on the challenges that matter to us; so we welcome the baton on Thursday,” Ellis noted.

CWGAU president Donald Rukare thanked the First Lady for receiving the baton and noting that this year’s Queens Baton Relay is in commemoration of the 22nd Commonwealth Games that will start on July 28-August 8 in Birmingham.

“The baton is a symbolic gesture of what the Commonwealth is about; the issue of inclusiveness, sustainability, friendliness within the Commonwealth and it will culminate with the games where Uganda has been an active participant since 1962 not only in the Commonwealth heads of state activities but with the games as well,” Rukare said.

“We look forward with your support to take a team to the games in Birmingham and we believe we shall showcase what the Pearl of Africa can offer but also on the field of play and we promise that we shall do Uganda proud by exhibiting great performance than that of 2018 in Gold Coast.

“We would like to thank you and the government for the support that you provide to sports that have seen a great resurgence of performance at the Olympics (2nd in Africa and 36th in the world) which is a testament to the support we are getting from yourself and the government. We look forward to this support being increased to allow us to effectively prepare and present teams to the Commonwealth Games and other related sports,” Rukare stated before he presented the baton to the First Lady.

Obua on behalf of the sports sub-sector thanked the First Lady for accepting and receiving the baton and stated that the QBR gives the sector hope. He said preparation for the games had already started at a low not and will accelerate with time with the constitution of the local organizing committee and the administrative structure of the Commonwealth Games of Uganda.

The function was attended among others by the Permanent Secretary Ketty Lamaro, CWGAU officials Moses Mwase, Beatrice Ayikoru, Commissioner of Physical Education and Sports Duncans Mugumya, NCS General Secretary Patrick Ogwel, NCS GS Technical David Katende, CGAU Administrator Elijah Njawuzi as well as Olympians Husina Kukundakwe and Halima Nakaayi.

Uganda was the 7th African country to receive the baton which is going to stay in the country for three days as it makes 269 days across the globe over 72 commonwealth nations and territories.

The global journey will conclude at the opening ceremony of the games where the final Baton bearer will return it to the Her Majesty the Queen.